THE OTTAWA CITIZEN ANNE DESBRISAY’S OTTAWA DINING GUIDE ’08

BRUNO SCHLUMBERGER FOR THE CITIZEN’S WEEKLY Award-winning chefs on the Ottawa scene: From left, Ben Baird of Urban Pear, Beckta’s Mike Moffatt and Matthew Carmichael of Restaurant E18hteen. Aboriginal AfricanAsian-Eclectic Table for two? Take your pick CanadianCaribbean Chinese from the 127 restaurants listed inside Contemporary Fish & SeafoodFrench Indian/Sri LankanItalian Japanese Latin AmericanMalaysian Eatyour Mediterranean Pub Spanish- PortugueseThai Vegetarian Vietnamese heart out THE OTTAWA CITIZEN

Horn of Africa Restaurant Joy Aboriginal 364 Rideau St., 613-789-0025 R 315 Somerset St. W., 613-231-6333 M A long-established African restaurant A mix of Japanese standards, both cooked Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro that offers affordable, tasty Ethiopian and raw, traditional Korean dishes and a bit 108 Murray St., 613-562-3683 P food in very simple surroundings. of Asian fusion. Good gyoza, , chicken Now into its fifth year, Sweetgrass has katsu. evolved from a theme-eatery into one of Kasbah Village Ottawa’s reliably good restaurants. 261 Laurier Ave. W., 613-232-3737 R Shanghai Smoked fish cakes, rabbit dumplings, A popular lunch spot for the downtown 651 Somerset St. W., 613-233-4001 R wild boar back ribs, Canadian goose with crowd with affordable noon specials. At Shakes up Mandarin martinis, spins risotto, ginger and apples. night, the room takes on a more exotic Brazilian rhythms and offers karaoke. Food’s feel and offers a variety of Moroccan all over the place, too: from North classics. American-style Cantonese and Szechwan African to popular Thai noodles, soups and curries. East African Restaurant Asian-Eclectic 376 Rideau St., 613-789-7397 R Café On the menu: chicken, , lamb or Hot Peppers vegetable of varying intensities, 495 Somerset St. W., 613-233-4687; Café Paradiso served in small mounds on large platters 201 Queen St., 613-232-4687 M 199 Bank St., 613-565-0657 P layered with injera. They refer to their cooking as Hip and happening restaurant/club offers live “expressive Thai” but what stands out music and a menu designed for grazing — Habesha are the seafood dishes, spicy salads and calamari, crab cakes, frites. 1087 Wellington St. W., 613-761-6120 R gentle, fragrant plates of rice noodles. The menu is short and the prices are Wine bar upstairs. Second location newly Caffé Mio cheap at this 30-seat restaurant of opened downtown. 1379 Wellington St. W., 613-761-5510 R linoleum floors and simple furnishings. Handsomely done over little spot in No starters, no desserts, just 10 stews: Kinki Westboro, serving good pasta, mussels, beef, lamb, chicken, pulses or 41 York St., 613-789-7559 E lamb. Intelligent, big-hearted service. vegetables, all served with injera. Its tag line is “Asian-fusion-sushi.” Traditional and unconventional rice Canvas snacks, plus main dishes like tamarind 65 Holland Ave., 613-729-1991 P ribs, sesame-crusted tuna and “Kontiki The latest arrival on the Holland Avenue PRICE GUIDE gnocchi.” strip, Canvas is a petite space with a petite menu of eclectic dishes — coconut shrimp, Loosely based on a three-course dinner for Mekong beef tartare, seared Ahi tuna, lamb, halibut, two, with a simple wine, taxes and tip. 637 Somerset St. W., 613-237-7717 R with apple. R: Reasonable, up to $80 Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai dishes on M: Moderate, $80 to $100 the Mekong menu. Seafood is treated Carmen’s Veranda P: Pricey, $100 to $130 well. Good too are the soups, pot 1169 Bank St., 613-730-9829 M E: Expensive, $130+ stickers, shrimp dumplings, Szechwan- A short, seasonal menu in colourful, retro- Unless stated otherwise, all restaurants style crispy beef, five spice squid, and looking room. Salads are bright, sandwiches accept major credit cards and braised duck. satisfying and the pizza is excellent. reservations, and many now have websites on which you will find their MHK Sushi and Asian Fusion Delish menus and hours of operation. Call about 1519 Merivale Rd., 613-274-7100 R 45 rue Laval, Gatineau, 819-771-3456 R wheelchair accessibility. Consider this list China, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand and You order from a display case with a guide, not a guarantee of what you will Vietnam are represented. Good sushi; seasonal stylishness and either take it find. hot dishes are less accomplished. away or find a perch at this 10 chair/six- stool café.

Less than 1% of beef 0 qualifies as Certified Angus Beef Prime. Only available at

Empire Grill—come and

taste the difference. 0 p 47 Clarence, in the Market 0613-241-1343 • empiregrill.com

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Four Cuisines Bistro 268 Preston St., 613-231-2888 R Canadian The four cuisines seem to be Thai, French, Italian and Canadian, with a menu that Domus Café includes Pattaya shrimp, bouillabaisse, 87 Murray St., 613-241-6007 E veal piccata and maple syrup-glazed back “Canadian Regional Seasonal Cuisine” ribs. are the words etched in its picture windows and the philosophy found on its Oz Kafé plates. Domus continues to deliver 361 Elgin St., 613-234-0907 M startling dishes fashioned from quality Quirky café, serves fresh, ingredients. bold flavours and some solid choices for the vegetarian. Le Café National Arts Centre, 613-594-5127 E Piz'za-za Dine pre- or post-performance on a 36 rue Laval, Gatineau, 819-771-0565 R/M conventional table d’hote, or linger with This cheerfully French and jam-packed more adventurous fare: deer with a restaurant is mostly about pizza and cloudberry compote, yellow fin tuna wine, but also about lemon pie. tartare, duck with blood orange sauce.

Stoneface Dolly's Les Fougères 416 Preston St., 613-564-2222 M 783 Route 105, Chelsea, Que., Eclectic menu of Cajun chicken, Thai red 819-827-8942 E curry mussels, jambalaya and a few Impeccably sourced raw materials wacky pasta dishes, in modern prepared with contemporary flair. Potato surroundings in Little Italy. soup with smoked Arctic char, scallops teamed with salt cod; lamb drenched The Black Tomato with Indian spices, chocolate tart with 11 George St., 613-789-8123 M blueberry compote. Busy Byward Market café has a global reach — Thai-style soup, Mediterranean Social chicken, crab cakes, good fish specials. 537 Sussex Dr., 613-789-7355 E Extensive whisky menu. A handsome, hot-spot restaurant/lounge with a solid kitchen. Pistachios and The Local Bar BRUNO SCHLUMBERGER FOR THE CITIZEN’S WEEKLY polenta dress an organic mushroom Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre, salad, black cod is braised in cider, steak 1227 Wellington St. W., Ben Baird, Chef and owner frites team up with rapini, lamb shanks 613-263-5196 ext. 315 M with honey and pickled figs. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, pre- of The Urban Pear and post-theatre nibbling, with a Other than your restaurant, where in The Urban Pear straightforward menu of well-flavoured town do you like to eat? 151 Second Ave., 613-569-9305 E dishes at fair prices. Sweet Basil A sophisticated but neighbourly space with a short, seasonal menu of The Scone Witch What’s your favourite meal that you adventurous food. Scallops paired with a 388 Albert St., 613-232-2173 R would be most embarrassed to tell your pea shoot salad, duck confit with cumin- Golden topped, layered and yielding, foodie friends about? spiced potato, lamb with quinoa and these scones are available in a variety of Steamed pizza dog chard. flavours, either straight up, with cream and jam, or split and filled with lunchy What’s a small kitchen gadget that you The Wellington Gastropub things. cannot do without? 1325 Wellington St. W., 613-729-1315 P/E Microplane Fine dining in a relaxed venue: Ottawa’s The Village Café first gastropub offers a short daily menu 295 Richmond Rd., 613-728-2162 M What is an ingredient that you can’t do of seasonal treats, many options for A casual restaurant with an eclectic without? Salt and pepper artisan beer and an international wine menu — tandoori salmon, Moroccan- list. style crab cakes, Thai-style prawns. A What’s the one food phrase that makes soup and sandwich lunch remains a draw. you crazy? Wilfrid’s Molecular cookery. More chefs and Chateau Laurier Hotel, 1 Rideau St., Trio restaurants seem to be trying to come up 613-562-7043 E 307-D Richmond Rd., 613-722-3887 R with the newest and most unique way to In addition to its good looks, assets A teeny neighbourhood eatery that’s change the appearance, physical include a well-trained staff, a strong VQA breezy, quirky, affordable and allows you structure, texture and even method of wine list and a menu that makes use of to drop in at midnight for pâté and pears, eating. local, seasonal raw materials. pasta or pizza.

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Palais Imperial Beckta Dining and Wine Caribbean 311-313 Dalhousie St., 613-789-6888 R 226 Nepean St., 613-238-7063 E Two big floors of dining with big Food and wine ought to be the driving Caribbean Flavours windows for Byward Market-watching. interests when considering Beckta. 1659 Carling Ave., 613-237-9981 M Extensive menu of more than 200 items, Fresh, contemporary dishes are matched A-la-minute Caribbean cooking recently filled with Cantonese-Szechwan with a top-notch wine list, continually relocated to strip mall on Carling Avenue. offerings. tweaked. The service is also a drawing On the menu: cod cakes, jerk chicken, goat card. curry, various rotis, saltfish and ackee, Veranda d'Or washed down with homemade ginger beer. 4 Lorry Greenberg Dr., 613-736-1965 R Black Cat Café Family-run strip-mall restaurant 93 Murray St., 613-241-2999 E Savana Café concentrates on the cooking of the Byward Market spot with a smart, quirky 431 Gilmour St., 613-233-9159 R Szechwan province. Top marks to the menu of impressive food. Lobster “Ottawa's original fusion restaurant” fish specials and the authentically hot marcarpone “croque monsieur,” scallops presents a short menu of Caribbean and Szechwan dishes. in hibiscus glaze, miso-marinated tuna. Asian dishes — kalaloo soup, jerk chicken, pad Thai, tempura shrimp — in colourful old Juniper Kitchen and Wine Bar downtown home. Contemporary 245 Richmond Rd., 613-728-0220 E Top-quality seasonal ingredients Absinthe Café translate into flavour and style in the Chinese 1208 Wellington St., 613-761-1138 P talented hands of chefs Richard Nigro Now found in bigger, hipper space but and Norm Aitkin. One of Ottawa’s top Beijing Tianrun with the same chef-owner. Patrick tables. 1947 Bank St., 613-521-3868 R Garland’s menu is short, seasonally Extensive menu filled with authentic sound and big on assertive flavours. Perspectives Chinese dishes, along with more western- Warm tomato salad, bacon-wrapped Brookstreet Hotel, 525 Legget Dr., style, largely Cantonese specials. quail, red snapper, steak frites, 613-271-1800 E profiteroles. Dining room of swanky hotel features Golden Palace ambitious menu of multifaceted dishes. 2195 Carling Ave., 613-820-8444 R allium Lamb with lobster-stuffed brioche, At 48 years old, the Golden Palace is not 87 Holland Ave., 613-792-1313 M scallops with chorizo, pineapple and about novelty in Chinese food. This is the Tapas at allium make Monday nights coriander, good sushi. sweet-and-sour, battered-and-fried, red- palatable. Other days, chef-owner Arup dyed Cantonese treat food of the 1960s Jana dishes up big-flavoured food, with Restaurant E18hteen with legendary egg rolls. particular pleasure found in game dishes 18 York St., 613-244-1188 E and vegetarian arrangements. A thoroughly urban eatery, stunning and Ho Ho sleek, now enjoys a steady hand in the 875 Richmond Rd., 613-722-9200 R ARC Lounge kitchen. Chef Matthew Carmichael offers “Dine-in, take-out, we-deliver” place with ARC The Hotel, 140 Slater St., a roundup of pleasures on each stylish strong west-end following. Locals come for 613-238-2888 E plate. the fresh food and for the gracious family Retro-chic dining room/lounge of Arc’s that serves it. boutique hotel offers a rather The Courtyard Restaurant unconventional menu: lobster-basil 21 George St., 613-241-1516 E Jadeland panna cotta with smoked salmon and a The room may feel dated, but the food 625 Somerset Street W., 613-233-0204 R pear-zucchini remoulade; rack of lamb sure doesn't: bison sashimi with eryngii It's not the decor that has folk lined up. with pickled grapes and pears. mushrooms, pork belly with ginger and Maybe it’s the specials: pickerel with chili liquorice, ginger fritters with liquid and garlic, squid with snow pea tips, bitter nitrogen star anise ice cream. melon and beef in black bean sauce.

When in Ottawa descend on Metropolitain Brasserie with it’s ruby-leathered banquettes, hammered zinc bar and tres Paris vibe. —New York Times 700 Sussex Drive, Courtyard Level, Ottawa, ON for reservations call 613-562-1160 or book online at www.metropolitainbrasserie.com

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The Whalesbone Oyster House Diner 430 Bank St., 613-231-8569 E A small and whimsically decorated seafood The Diner pub, casual and unassuming and run by a 1385 Wellington St. W., 613-798-7800 R boisterous staff, where you huddle around An agreeably grown-up sort of diner, where cramped tables feasting on pristine parents as well as their issue can feel at oysters, seafood chowder, excellent fish home. , homemade soups, chicken and foie gras. pot pie, burgers, smoked meat sandwiches. The Works French 326 Richmond Rd., 613-564-0406; 143 Putnam Ave., 613-748-0406; Benitz Bistro 580 Bank St., 613-235-0406; 327 Somerset St. W., 613-567-8100 M 64 Stonehaven Dr., 613-271-0406; Husband and wife team of Derek Benitz 900 Watters Rd., 613-824-0406 R and Meghan McManus have opened a Five locations, seven patties, 62 toppings, white on white dining room where you 12 upgrades makes for innumerable find colour in the personality of the well- options and permutations for burgers all trained staff and on the plates heaped served in high octane, faux-industrial, with French bistro treats. cheery sort of place. Benny’s Bistro 119 Murray St., 613-789-6797 R Eastern European Tucked into the back of the French Baker and open for lunch only, you are advised Amber Garden and Dalmacia Restaurant to tuck into anything baked — the bread, 1702 Carling Ave., 613-728-0000 M the olive scones, the strawberry tarts. Traditional Eastern European dishes from But excellent too are the soups, the the Baltic to the Black Seas — cabbage risotto, the spiced scallops. rolls, perogies, schnitzels, goulash, kulebiaka, chicken paprikash, apple fritters. Bistro 115 110 Murray St., 613-562-7244 M The Lafrance-Giroux team has been Fish & Seafood dishing duck (confit, rillettes, smoked) and other treats (scallops in a leek Flippers fondue, lamb sausage) on its popular 819 Bank St., 613-232-2703 M BRUNO SCHLUMBERGER FOR THE CITIZEN’S WEEKLY back deck festooned with grape vines or Glebe-view restaurant on upper level of in its well-laced dining room for some 22 Fifth Avenue Court. Large portions of fresh Michael Moffatt years now. seafood. Executive chef, Beckta L'Argoät Lapointe Seafood Grill Dining & Wine 39A rue Laval, Gatineau, 819-771-6170 M 55 York St., 613-241-6221; Buckwheat galettes are the raison d’etre 60 Coldchester Square, 613-599-1424; Other than your restaurant, where in of this cosy upstairs restaurant. Soups 194 Robertson Rd., 613-596-9655 M town do you like to eat? are well made and fish properly cooked. Fish cafés attached to fish markets. Beer- Wellington Gastropub Save room for a dessert crepe. batter fish and chips, pan-fried pickerel, grilled swordfish with lime caper sauce, What’s your favourite meal that you Le Baccara fresh mussels. would be most embarrassed to tell 1 boul. du Casino, Gatineau, 819-772-6210 E your foodie friends about? Fine dining restaurant of Casino du Lac Merivale Seafood Grill Grilled cheese sandwich Leamy. Chef Serge Rourre’s cooking is 1480 Merivale Rd., 613-723-2476 R anchored in solid French traditions, but Fish from the adjoining market shop is What’s a small kitchen gadget that you filled with toothsome flights of fancy. plucked off the ice, steamed, grilled, cannot do without? Magnificent presentations. Magnificent battered, breaded, brochetted — your Benrinner Japanese mandoline wine cellar. choice. Good house chowder, mussels, fish and chips. What is an ingredient that you can’t do L'Echelle de Jacob without? 27, boul. Lucerne, Gatineau (Aylmer), Pelican Fishery and Grill Salt 819-684-1040 M 1500 Bank St., 613-526-0995 M A well-hidden, well-established A long-running suburban fish café attached What’s the one food phrase that makes restaurant on the second floor of a to a fishmonger where the bill of fare is all you crazy? century-old mill. Local goat cheese fish, the service kind and the prices kept ‘Molecular gastronomy’ soufflé; scallops ceviche, wild mushroom reasonable. charlotte, perfect profiteroles.

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Le Panaché Métropolitain Brasserie 201 rue Eddy, Gatineau, 819-777-7771 M 700 Sussex Dr., 613-562-1160 P Inventive French and Mediterranean French-style, super-sized brasserie steps cooking complemented with a generous from Parliament Hill, with a menu that wine cellar and charming service in a petite covers bistro basics, from bouillabaisse to space. blanquette de veau. Raw seafood bar; champagne by the glass. Le Pied de Cochon 242 rue Montcalm, Gatineau, Par-fyum 819-777-5808 M 70 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau, Since 1976, a no-nonsense lineup of Parisian 819-770-1908 E bistro classics. Some things are done very A soaringly handsome restaurant still well, like the , duck confit, the finding its way after a year of changes in the daily fish. kitchen, but still, one to watch.

Le Saint Ô Signatures 327 St. Laurent Blvd., 613-749-9703 P 453 Laurier Ave. E., 613-236-2499 E An enduring French restaurant offers a In a Sandy Hill mansion, the fine dining menu of French classics with Québécois room of Le (Ottawa campus) accents: ris de veau with local honey, duck offers a menu awash with luxury confit with maple syrup. ingredients and cooking that is complicated, technically sound and Le Sans Pareil stunning on every monogrammed plate. 71 boul. St-Raymond, Gatineau, 819-771-1471 P Inspired Belgian cuisine with emphasis on fish, seafood and game. Of course, moules Indian/Sri Lankan et frites, but also venison in a Belgian beer sauce, veal kidneys with grainy mustard and Bombay Masala a fine chocolate ending. 591 March Rd., 613-599-0090 R Kanata dot-comers descend on the noon Le St-Estèphe buffet. At dinner, the room is more peaceful. 711 boul. St-Joseph, Gatineau, BRUNO SCHLUMBERGER FOR THE CITIZEN’S WEEKLY North Indian food is fresh and spicing very 819-777-5552 P pleasing. Tandoor dishes are a cut above. Regional, organic products meet bourgeois Matthew Carmichael French cooking with delicious results at this Ceylonta prettier-on-the-inside Gatineau restaurant. Executive chef, Restaurant 403 Somerset St. W., 613-237-7812 R E18hteen Nothing from the curb, but inside the aroma Le Tartuffe of Sri Lankan spices is heady and the south 133 rue Notre-Dame, Gatineau, Other than your restaurant, where in Indian cooking a pleasure. Addictive urid 819-776-6424 P town do you like to eat? dahl cakes, black curries, platter-sized dosai In a lovely old house, the principles of Planet Coffee wrapped around curried goat. modern applied to regional produce: cranberry-stuffed roasted quail, What’s your favourite meal that you Coconut Lagoon pheasant with wild mushrooms, crème would be most embarrassed to tell your 853 St, Laurent Blvd., 613-742-4444 R brûlée. foodie friends about? This east-ender cooks dishes from the Nachos — and I’m not embarrassed by south, specifically from Kerala, where rice, L'Orée du Bois those canned black olives and pickled coconuts, fish and root vegetables abound, 15 Chemin Kingsmere, Chelsea, jalapenos. prepared with intoxicating spices. 819-827-0332 P Long-established, rustic-looking restaurant What’s a small kitchen gadget that you East India Company Restaurant in Gatineau forest setting serves cannot do without? 210 Somerset St. W., 613-567-4634 R unrepentantly old school French favourites: Benrinner Japanese mandoline Lush furnishings and antiques create an fish soup, escargots, duck confit, seafood inviting atmosphere, while the sizable pot au feu. What is an ingredient that you can’t do buffet and short à la carte menu deliver without? substance to match. Luxe Bistro Maldon salt 47 York St., 613-241-8805 E Haveli In addition to its premium steak and sea What’s the one food phrase that makes 194 Robertson Rd., Bells Corners, offerings, this handsome dining room you crazy? 613-820-1700; features such bistro standards as onion Molecular gastronomy: ‘It’s great at its 39 Clarence St., 613-241-1700 R soup, bouillabaisse, moules et frites, osso point of origin (Spain), but I think it loses its Two locations, two tandoor ovens to serve bucco. New-to-Luxe chef Rene Rodriguez allure the farther you get from the source.’ up spicy, rich Indian flavours. Superior fish may well shake it all up, though. and rice.

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Host India Merlot Rooftop Grill 622 Montreal Rd., 613-746-4678 R Ottawa Marriott Hotel, 100 Kent St., The wood-fired tandoor gets much credit 613-783-4212 E for the superior flavour of breads and The menu way up here is a mix of brawny meats at this cavernous restaurant in steakhouse with a bit of bistro — grilled Ottawa East. But sauces are a strength too, lamb, veal, steak, pork, venison, salmon and as is service. slow-roasted chicken. Lofty wine list, too.

Little India Café Petit Bill’s Bistro 66 Wylie Ave., 613-828-2696 R 1293 Wellington St. W., 613-729-2500 M/P Hole in the wall offers Indian cooking from Unpretentious new restaurant for West the north — silky butter chicken, complex Wellington offers small and large plates of lamb bhuna and admirable vegetarian eclectic dishes — from curry chicken to dishes. maple scallops to eggplant cannelloni.

Nagina The Capital Dining Room 217 Rideau St., 613-562-0060 R Delta Ottawa Hotel, 361 Queen St., Fragrant, fresh and authentically fierce, but 613-238-2582 E good, quieter fare too, such as the butter Menu is short, simple, flexible. Food is chicken. fresh, seasonal and prepared with skill. Service is polished. Power lunch spot. New Nupur 589 Bank St., 613-230-4454 R The West End Station Bistro Treats from the tandoor, plus fragrant lamb 3659 Richmond Rd., 613-721-9639 E curries and superior vegetarian dishes. Nicely refurbished Bells Corners restaurant offers a fine dining option in a part of town Roses Café in need of those. Good soup, mussels, 1285 Wellington St. W., 613-798-9191 R crème brulée. Mostly south Indian food on the menu. The potato wadas are addictive. So is the Mughlai eggplant. Extensive vegetarian Italian offerings. JULIE OLIVER FOR THE CITIZEN’S WEEKLY Allegro Ristorante Shafali Indian Restaurant 422 Preston St., 613-235-7454 P 308 Dalhousie St., 613-789-9188 R Christopher Deraiche A traditional northern Italian restaurant Shafali's tandoor may be out of sight, but comfortably settled into its way of doing its good smells slap you happy as soon as Executive chef/co-owner, things. An utterly familiar menu and you enter. Starters disappoint, but sauces The Wellington Gastropub solidly reliable food. Count on a good shine with gently layered flavours, or a Caesar, homey soups, fresh, well- crescendo of spices. What’s hot: Ice cream made by Pascale prepared fish and seafood, and fine pasta Berthiaume, our pastry chef; macaroons dishes. Taj from Art-Is-In Bakery; Beau's All-Natural 3009 Carling Ave., 613-726-6955 R beer; Back Forty cheeses from Lanark Ambiente Typical north Indian fare that distinguishes County. 18 Beechwood Ave., 613-744-6509 E itself through the lustiness of its spicing, Chef/owner Michael Guy brings his the long drenching marinades and the What's not: Nothing annoys me more experiences of the West Coast and Rome expertise with the tandoor. than when I see a pint of beer cost over to this New Edinburgh gem: risotto of $7 in an establishment. It's ridiculous. corn and local chanterelles, saffron- Taj Mahal crusted Pacific halibut, homemade ice 925 Bank St., 613-234-1280 R creams. A first-rate Indian eatery in the Glebe offers Empire Grill traditional northern Indian dishes marked 47 Clarence St., 613-241-1343 P Bella’s Bistro by complex flavours and generous spicing. Trendy, handsome restaurant that 1445 Wellington St. W., 613-724-6439 P attracts chic young diners in droves. The Popular bistro offers comfort of familiar crowd may care more for the scene than favourites, a knowing staff and a International the food, but both are taken seriously reasonable bill. First-class pasta dishes, here. veal sausages, carpaccio, chocolate cake. Daly's Westin Hotel, 11 Colonel By Dr., Foundation Biagio's 613-560-7333 E 18B York St., 613-562-9331 P 1394 Richmond Rd., 613-828-0770 M An updated look for the Westin dining Byward Market restaurant/lounge. Large, handsome and family-friendly room. Signature lamb dish stands out, Dinner menu focuses on fondues for two restaurant in Ottawa West has a formula plus the tuna rolls, scallops with and seafood platters for four, but also menu of predictable appetizers, thin- lemongrass, roasted guinea hen. rack of lamb, duck, lemon tart. crust pizza, pasta, big gooey desserts.

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Café Spiga Stella Osteria 271 Dalhousie St., 613-241-4381 P 81-B Clarence Street, 613-241-2200 P Portuguese classics (caldo verde, Stella is a hip, happening and handsome bacalhau, sea bream with piri-piri) share place, offering comfort Italian food with space with Italian pasta and veal dishes. contemporary edges. Seafood is a clear strength. Trattoria Caffé Italia Caffé Ventuno 254 Preston St., 613-236-1081 M 1355 Wellington St. W., 613-729-9121 M Red-and-white-check cloths and busy A modern-looking café attached to an decor. Kind portions of fresh, carefully upscale Italian food shop. Menu offers made, affordably priced, traditional good pasta, risotto, thin-crust pizza. northern Italian food.

Fiamma Vittoria Trattoria 3750 Strandherd Dr., 613-843-5263 M 35 William St., 613-789-8959; A welcome alternative to the chain 3625 Riverside Dr., 613-731-8959 M eateries of Barrhaven, Fiamma’s Two Vittorias — the original in the strengths include its inventive salads, Byward Market, and newer location in yummy bread, wood-fired pizzas and Ottawa South — both with exceptional wines by the glass. wine lists.

Flying Piggy’s Bistro Italiano 1665 Bank St., 613-526-4900 R Japanese Affordable, tasty food served by a kind crew in busy, unpretentious A Taste of Japan surroundings. Soups are a strength, so 3710 Richmond Rd., 613-721-7675 M are mussels, homemade pasta, pecan In the suburban sprawl of Bells Corners, pie. CHRIS MIKULA FOR THE CITIZEN’S WEEKLY Japanese food that is a cut above. Miso marinated mackerel, scallops flamed in Fratelli Derek Benitz wine, beef katsu, along with all the raw 749 Bank St., 613-237-1658; snacks. 499 Terry Fox Dr., 613-592-0225; Chef/owner Benitz Bistro 309 Richmond Rd., 613-722-6772 M Bento Sushi Two brothers and three restaurants, all What's hot: The past year has seen the 606 Rideau St., 613-562-2563; handsome, colour-rich eateries with growth of excellent locally produced 800 Hunt Club Rd., 613-288-0268 R similar menus and admirable wine lists. organic foods. Customer inquiries into Two tiny store front locations cater the provenance of our ingredients mostly Giovanni's suggests this trend will continue. to those picking up sushi suppers, or 362 Preston St., 613-234-3156 P quick sushi lunches, though both offer Often busy, often loud, but service is top What's not: Pretentious and overpriced scattered seating and scattered items notch, the food is flavourful, northern food will turn away customers seeking other than sushi. Italian fare and the wine list is superior. simple presentation of quality seasonal ingredients. Genji Il Piccolino 175 Lisgar St., 613-236-2880 M 449 Preston St., 613-236-8158 M Tranquil, spacious, with excellent sushi, Comfortable, homey decor in a quirky La Porto a Casa delicate tempura, fragile dumplings, house in Little Italy, where pasta and 3500 Fallowfield Rd., 613-843-0825 R tangy gyoza and very fresh fish, well pizza dominate the menu. Pretty A mom and pop restaurant in Barrhaven cooked. summer patio framed with grape vines. that offers sturdy, home-cooked food (pasta, pizza, veal, tiramisu) at prices that Ichibei Il Primo keep the place packed. 197 Bank St., 613-563-2375 M 371 Preston St., 613-234-6858 M Warm feeling of a neighbourhood pub. Il Piccolino's sister restaurant, this one is Mamma Grazzi's Kitchen Seating for a dozen at the sushi bar. more formal, more contemporary. No 25 George St., 613-241-8656 R Sushi, sashimi, tempura, noodle dishes pizza, lots of pasta, tender veal, inventive Thin-crust pizzas rolled to order and a page and so on. antipasti. of pasta dishes in a pretty courtyard restaurant in the Byward Market. Japanese Village Il Vagabondo 170 Laurier Ave., 613-236-9519 M 186 Barette St., 613-749-4877 M Mamma Teresa Basement restaurant offers the basic This modest Italian bistro may just have 300 Somerset St. W., 613-236-3023 P sushi-tempura-teriyaki fare with the the best lasagna in town. An Ottawa institution in a brick mansion. bonus spectacle of the teppanyaki where Stick with the classics: tortellini in brodo, the flames and knives are the show. the house Caesar, cannelloni and tiramisu. All great.

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MHK Sushi Hy’s Steak House Cyranos 429 Richmond Rd., 613-798-0800 M 170 Queen St., 613-234-4545 E 39 Robertson Rd., 613-721-0510 P Fish swim in the red walls and on the Men in suits at well-spaced tables and A long-running Bells Corners restaurant. menu of this small, chic sushi restaurant. hungry hockey players come to Hy’s for Strengths are in homemade breads, Start with a delicate seaweed salad and quality cuts of Alberta beef, properly pastas then either order à la carte treats, or one aged, properly grilled. and pizzas, fresh seafood and luscious of their special maki platters. desserts. Sterling Restaurant Suisha Gardens 835 rue Jacques Cartier, Gatineau, Efes 208 Slater St., 613-236-9602 M 819-568-8788 E 484 Preston St., 613-230-8828 R Hordes flock for the noon specials. At Spacious, dramatic dining in Gatineau, Rib-sticking Turkish food in Little Italy. dinner, you can sup on a predictable lineup where a cornucopia of cuts and weights The meze platter could make a light of Japanese dishes, either perched at the of premium steak share a luxury menu supper on its own — and don’t miss the sushi bar, or sitting downstairs in Suisha’s with oversized seafood. doner kebab if available. private rooms. Tuscan Grill Little Turkish Village Sushi 88 1-130 Riocan Ave., 613-825-4091 E 2095 St Joseph Blvd., Orleans, 690B Somerset St. W., 613-233-3288 R You enter this Barrhaven restaurant and 613-824-5557 R Only Japanese restaurant in Chinatown the suburban mall fades away. As for the Long-established, busy restaurant serving makes ordering process easy. For the open kitchen, its strengths come from generous portions of rib-sticking Turkish sushi novice, "I Like My Sushi Cooked" the grill: lamb, bison, steak, all food — good shish kebabs, seafood, lamb. combo; for the well initiated? "Sashimi wonderful. Less interesting are its pasta Surprise." Dining alone? "Sashimi Just For dishes and desserts. Theo’s Greek Taverna Me." 911 Richmond Rd., 613-728-0909 R (See also Luxe Bistro, Merlot Rooftop Grill) Lively Ottawa West dining room. Hellenic Takara music, columns, frescoes, the works. 366 Dalhousie St., 613-241-6582 R/M Terrific things done with eggplant and Bright corner restaurant in the Byward Malaysian lamb. Servings are enormous. Market where the sushi bar takes centre stage and a complete nigiri sushi dinner, Chahaya Malaysia with soup or salad to start, won’t eat up 1690 Montreal Rd., 613-742-0242 R Mexican/Southwestern your paycheque. Long menu is divided into Malaysian, Indonesian and vegetarian sections. Agave Grill Totoya Flame-throwing dishes (chili-fried squid) 1331 Wellington St. W., 613-728-5588 R 297 Dalhousie St., 613-241-2224 M along with milder ones (Singapore Go for the margaritas. Stay for the From a largely predictable menu, you will noodles) and those that linger in the guacamole, burritos, tender steak bathed find fresh fish, well cooked, carefully made middle (the Java). in a chipotle chili sauce, and anything sushi, gossamer tempura and soothing with salsa verde on top. service. Singapore 69 Kempster Ave., 613-820-4119 R Ahora Wasabi Mostly Malaysian fare, with some 307 Dalhousie St., 613-562-2081 R 41 Clarence St., 613-241-3636 R/M Chinese, Indian and Thai influences in This colourful room with seating for 40 Reasonable prices for a wide selection of plain surroundings. Curry puffs, satays, is a cheery, no-frills, cafeteria-style raw critters from the sushi bar, plus some Singapore noodles, tamarind shrimp. eatery with fresh, flavourful Mexican consistently good items from the kitchen, food. notably the tempura, gyoza and tataki. Mediterranean Azteca 41 William St., 613-241-6050 R Latin American A’roma Meze Corn tortillas made to order, salsas with 239 Nepean St., 613-232-1377 P tang and fire, fresh empanadas, La Cabana A Greek-style meze (small plates) enchiladas with grainy black moles, in 848 Merivale Rd., 613-724-7762 R restaurant with an impressive wine list two-level dining room. A Salvadoran pupuseria with a menu of to match the impressive nibbles. Kataifi fast, flavourful, filling food: tamales, scallops, melitzanosalata, foie gras Blue Cactus Bar and Grill pupusas, fried platanos, refried beans. stuffed Medjool dates. 2 Byward Market, 613-241-7061 R Fun, busy market eatery. Menu has Bocado southwest slant. Pasta, pizzas, , Mainly Meat 343 Somerset St. W., 613-233-1536 P grilled chicken, ribs. On the menu, a bit of everything — Italian, Friday’s House French, Spanish, Greek, North African. This Milagro 150 Elgin St., 613-237-5353 P is sturdy food with big flavours — fish , 357 Richmond Rd., 613-722-8011 M Stick with the meat — great rack of grilled lamb, roast duck with root With an upscale decor and a drinks menu lamb, blood-juicy roast beef. Portions are vegetables, risotto Milanese. that offers tequila by the “flight,” Milagro generous. Service is kind. is Tex Mex for grownups.

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Khao Thai Pub 103 Murray St., 613-241-7276 M Fragrant noodle dishes, complex curries Chez Lucien along with the usual Thai starters, salads 137 Murray St. 613-241-3533 R and soups, in a lush red and gold space in Spaghetti and meatballs, liver and the ByWard Market. onions, grilled chicken sandwiches, a croque monsieur. But really you come to Lotus Royal Thai this pub for the burgers. 101 rue Montcalm, Gatineau, 819-778-0559 M The Manx Thai food with all the right stuff. 370 Elgin St., 613-231-2070 R Excellent soups, panaeng, spring rolls, It’s more than an extensive whisky and satay and fish curries. draught menu that draws them down to this basement pub. Food is good too, Nokham Thai service convivial. 747 Richmond Rd., 613-724-6620 M Pay attention to the house specials at this small, tidy west-end restaurant. Spanish-Portuguese Stuffed chicken wings, tilapia in a red curry sauce, delicious mango and shrimp Don Alfonso salad. 434 Bank St., 613-236-7750 M You can fill up agreeably on paella, or Sacred Garden order a platter of predictable tapas in 1300 Bank St., 613-733-8424 M this dated-looking, but very welcoming A new Thai restaurant for Old Ottawa Centretown restaurant. South and the first vegetarian Thai restaurant in the city, housed in a pretty, El Meson JULIE OLIVER FOR THE CITIZEN’S WEEKLY tranquil space. 94 Beechwood Ave., 613-744-8484 M Stately old house in New Edinburgh Marc Lepine Siam Bistro serves hearty dishes of the Iberian 1268 Wellington St. W., 613-728-3111 M Peninsula: Garlic soup with chorizo, Executive chef, A handsome new interior and the same zarzuela, paella, filet of beef with cepes. Courtyard Restaurant familiar lineup of standard Thai dishes at Finish with crema Catalana. the Siam Bistro, reopened after a fire- What's hot: Local and ethically produced induced renovation. Generous servings (see also Café Spiga and A'roma Meze) foods are now on most higher-end and pretty arrangements. menus. This is not a passing trend, but it will continue to trickle down to all types Siam Kitchen Thai of food service operations. 1050 Bank St., 613-730-3954 M Ottawa’s first Thai restaurant. Dark Aiyara Thai Cuisine What's not: Arrangements of three wood, a bit dated, but food is fresh and 1590 Walkley Rd., 613-526-1703 M on a plate. (i.e. trio of ...) Using quotes ripe with flavour. Standard Thai menu of soups, salads, stir- around menu items. Grilling to cook food. fry, curries, rice and noodle dishes. Good Som Tum seafood, fragrant curries, pad Thai. 260 Nepean St., 613-781-8424 M Coriander Thai A new downtown Thai restaurant for Anna 282 Kent St., 613-233-2828 M Ottawa. Strengths are in the well-made 91 Holland Ave., 613-759-8472 M Centretown restaurant offers the classics, but also in those dishes and Popular Thai restaurant just west of business crowd at lunch and the ingredients less often seen Ottawa’s downtown. serves ginger-steamed duck, neighbourhood at dinner, tasty Thai food Thai menus. Fish is an accomplishment. prawn curry, hot and sour soup. in a shades-of-blue environment. Sukhothai Chaba Thai Green Papaya on Preston 134 Robertson Rd., Unit 10, 613-829- 540 Rochester St., 613-321-2704 M 256 Preston St., 613-231-8424 M 1010 M Owned by the Nokham Thai family, with a The first Thai restaurant to immigrate to Bells Corners eatery. Dishes are similar menu, similar good, fragrant, spicy Little Italy. The pasta strip has made authentic, the likes of beef with basil and food — but fewer folk to compete with for room for kwaytiaw, classic Thai soups chili and green curry of chicken. tables. and searing salads. Sweet Basil Chez le Thai Hot Peppers 1585 Bank St., 613-731-8424 M 39 rue Laval, Gatineau, 819-770-7227 M 495 Somerset St. W., 613-233-4687; Lavish dining room rich with Thai art, A dimly lit restaurant with bright food. All 201 Queen St., 613-232-4687 M colours and mythology. Thai food artfully the hot-sour-salty-sweet we want in Thai Thai food with some liberties taken. Second presented and totally delicious. food, ingredient focused. location downtown opened this year.

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Pho Bo Ga La Fitzgerald’s Vegetarian 784 Somerset St. W., 613-230-2931 R 7 Mill St., Almonte, 613-256-2524 M/P Bo Ga 2 Upscale dining provided by two talented Café Soup’Herbe 843 Somerset St W., 613-234-7089 R young chefs in Almonte’s restored 168 Old Chelsea Rd., Chelsea, (New) Pho Bo Ga La woollen mill — duck confit, scallops, 819-827-7687 R 761-763 Somerset St. W., 613-233-2222 R cornmeal-crusted chicken, potato rosti. There’s more than soup to like at this Pho is noodle soup. Bo is beef, Ga is little house in the woods: the house chicken and La is the large, extended Good Food Company burrito has ample flavour, the chili has family that runs these places. 31 Bridge St., Carleton Place, bite and brawn and the house pizzas 613-257-7284 R boast fresh toppings and a tasty crust. Pho Thu Do Cheery orange space with large takeout Homemade desserts are delicious. 765 Somerset St. W., 613-235-7116 R counter and excellent home-cooked food. One of the originals and as plain-Jane as Full-flavoured soups, big salads and Fleur de Sel they come. Chipped formica and desserts to forget the New Year’s 59 rue Laval, Gatineau, 819-772-8596 M permanently scarred linoleum. But resolution. A vegetarian restaurant, serene and noodle soups are wonderful, with the pretty, with fish allowed on its evening broth sweetly scented with star anise. La Table de Pierre Delahaye menu — pickerel with mango ratatouille, 247 Papineau (off Highway 148) shrimp with arugula, lentil and cashew Saigon Papineauville, QC, 819-427-5027 P terrine. 85 Clarence St., 613-789-7934 R Lacy French restaurant that specializes in If you’re after a bowl of hot, restorative the cooking of the apple-rich region of The Green Door soup — and who isn’t? — Saigon Normandy: escargots with Calvados, ris 198 Main St., 613-234-9597 R delivers. A family-run ByWard Market de veau braised with apples, apple tart. An Ottawa institution. Daily buffet of restaurant. fresh, tasty, non-meat, non-dairy, non- The Hungry Planet gluten (some of it) dishes. Food is Vietnamese Kitchen 2 Wilson St. W., Perth, (613) 264-9234 R weighed. 478 Bank St., 613-593-8991 R The great appeal of this place is what Very yellow, very plain room owned by a comes surrounded with bread, plus The Table kind family. Sizable Szechuan section of robust soups, lively Asian dishes, big fresh 1230 Wellington St. W., 613-729-5973 R the expansive menu makes it a bit salads, Bright, utilitarian space for the orthodox different from the pack. inventive desserts. vegetarian to feast on all-day, every-day, pay-by-weight-of-loaded-up-plate Vietnam Palace The Swan at Carp buffet. 819 Somerset St. W., 613-238-6758 R 108 Falldown Lane, Carp, 613-839-7926 M First-rate seafood: scallops with The look may be Presbyterian parsonage (See also Sacred Garden, a vegetarian Thai lemongrass and chilies, shrimp with meets English pub, but on the menu, pub restaurant) fresh pineapple, sea bass in black bean fare shares space with miso-marinated sauce. Sizable vegetarian section. chicken and Korean pork. Vietnamese Out of Town Editor’s note: Anne Cam Kong DesBrisay is the 726 Somerset St. W., 613-230-6815 R Casa Bella Citizen’s restaurant Cash or debit only (you won’t need 110 Clarence St., Gananoque, critic and the author much) for superior Vietnamese food in 1-613-382-1618 P of Capital Dining, a sub-minimal decor in heart of Closed for the season. When open, this restaurant guide for Chinatown. gracious mansion in Gananoque serves the national capital delicious food with quality ingredients region. The 2008 Mrs. Le from indigenous sources, marked with a edition is available at 1766 Carling Ave., 613-798-5697 R love for bold Mediterranean flavours. fine book stores and All the crunch-soft-pungent-fresh of gift shops and at Vietnamese cuisine is here, in a homey Castlegarth www.capitaldining.ca space on busy Carling Avenue. Lunch 90 Burnstown Rd., White Lake, specials are popular. 613-623-3472 M Young Stratford Chef School grads use New Mee Fung the old Stirling House as a place to 350 Booth St., 613-567-8228 R showcase their considerable talents and Order by number. Try No. 223 the seasonal, regional, organic, mostly lemongrass chicken, or No. 136 spicy homegrown ingredients that fill a one- satay with rice noodle. page dinner menu.

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